


Stargazing

by NestingHedwig_aka_LinW



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Christmas, M/M, Secret Snarry Swap 2017, Yule
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-09 04:07:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12879849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NestingHedwig_aka_LinW/pseuds/NestingHedwig_aka_LinW
Summary: When a potions accident de-ages Severus days before the Christmas holiday, Harry tries to make the time special for him.





	Stargazing

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Secret Snarry Swap 2017. All characters depicted herein in adult situations may safely be assumed to be over eighteen.
> 
> Prompt 44 from capitu: De-age! Snape. Potions accident happened and now Harry has to take care of tiny Severus. 

_One thousand four hundred and forty-one days..._

Harry tried to listen to everything the mediwizard was saying, but it was hard to hear over the chaos spinning in his mind. The healer gently patted Harry's shoulder as he passed, making his way from the room, knowing full well he would probably need to repeat everything he had said once the shock of the situation at hand finally sank in.

_Three years, eleven months, and sixteen days..._

Harry took a few deep calming breaths and tried to make sense of what he saw before him. He stared down at the tiny sleeping figure, neatly tucked into the hospital bed. Fine black hair fanned out across the crisp white pillowcase, and Harry could smell the slight scent of baby shampoo. He carefully brushed back an errant lock of hair from the child's forehead and examined the little face, cheeks still rounded from the last remnants of baby fat. He touched the tip of a nose too large for the rest of the small features and smiled. It was strange to see that nose as genetics had intended it, before it had been broken so many times it had developed a permanent hook. 

Things really could have been so much worse than they presently were, he decided, after mentally cataloging everything that currently was and everything that was not. And then understanding slipped into place and Harry's chaotic thoughts finally settled. He only needed to remind himself that this was the magical world and not the mundane one, so reason would never actually rule reality. 

This tiny little boy was all that remained of his Severus after the privately funded research laboratory he and the potions master helped establish exploded due to an apprentice's error, dousing Severus and another master brewer with a number of experimental potions. 

Potions Mistress Peregrine had awoken several hours earlier, significantly younger, and having no memories of anything past December of 1963. She was having a hard time accepting that both of her children were older than she now was, much to her horror and their amusement.

So Harry settled into a chair beside the hospital bed in the Pediatric ward of St Mungo's Hospital and waited for the 1963 version of his Severus to awaken.

_As far as we can determine, Master Snape has been alive for one thousand four hundred and forty-one days...or three years, eleven months, and sixteen days... Given that he was exposed to the same unidentified brew as Mistress Peregrine, we do not expect him to have retained any adult memories..._

*~*~*~  
Harry idly picked at a carton of take-away pad thai from his favorite Muggle restaurant, but he didn't have much of an appetite. The house was much too quiet, and the events of the day kept playing over in his mind. He finally set down his disposable chopsticks and closed the take-away container. Maybe he would feel hungry later.

His life had been so calm lately, nearly normal; he had almost forgotten how peculiar events once seemed to stalk him. And a three-year-old Severus definitely qualified as bizarre.

Twelve hours earlier, he had left Severus at the breakfast table with a brief kiss to the cheek. The older wizard was so engrossed in reading the December edition of _Mortar and Pestle - An International Journal for Brewers_ , he need to be reminded to finish his morning bowl of oatmeal before it congealed. Severus was especially interested in the breakthroughs of Inuit potion masters. Harry didn't have a great deal of knowledge about the Inuit, but even he realized the limitations they must face in such a forbidding arctic climate.

Harry looked up as a large barn owl glided in through the owl flap, a brown paper wrapped parcel tied to his legs. 

"Back so soon, Nigel?" Harry asked as he freed the white-faced owl from the bulky package. He ran his hands over the large bird's warm feathery body; Nigel barked in contentment. After a few minutes of affectionate attention, Harry set the bird onto his perch to feed from bowls of raw meat chunks, owl kibble, and water.

Harry unwrapped the parcel from a Diagon Alley children's shop. He examined the contents before selecting a pair of tiny dark green corduroy trousers, a green, navy blue, and red striped shirt, socks, and a miniscule white singlet and underdrawers to take to St Mungo's the next morning. Other than Severus losing decades from his life, the healers determined he was basically a healthy three-, nearly four-, year-old boy and would not require further hospitalization while an antidote was developed.

He set aside two additional sets of trousers, a red pair and a navy blue pair, as well as several more patterned shirts, noting that all of the clothing shared the same red, green and blue and was therefore interchangeable. The shop witch's selections would certainly make his life easier. He placed the additional undergarments and socks atop soft flannel pajamas covered in playful dogs. 

Harry smiled to himself, knowing the adult Severus would be horrified by the colorful collection, but there was no way Harry would clothe a small child in severe black.

Harry lifted out the last item from the parcel, a green and black polka-dot plush dragon with black velveteen wings. He petted the soft reptilian body, hearing a quiet roar when he squeezed the plump belly. There was a small children's book, _Meet Dottie the Dragon_ , attached to a ribbon around its tail. While he wasn't certain if little Severus would think the dragon "too babyish" or not, Harry did know that when he had been a three-year-old and abandoned in the cold cupboard beneath the stairs, he would have been very happy to have had a faithful friend to keep him company.

*~*~*~  
With his plush dragon tucked tightly in one arm, Severus walked around the parlor of the unfamiliar house. His brand new tartan slippers made little skuff-skuff sounds as he stepped from oriental carpet to hardwood floor. 

He touched the stiff corduroy trousers in wonderment. He had never worn clothes that had not belonged to someone else first before. All of his clothes came from bags Mummy bought at jumble sales and charity shops. 

This was all very strange. Where was Mummy? Where was Daddy?

He had woken up in St Mungo's, the Wizarding hospital, but didn't know why. Nothing hurt. Mummy and Daddy were not there. He was not surprised that Daddy wasn't there because he hardly paid attention to little Severus anyway, but Mummy should have been with him. He had never been without Mummy before. Ever.

The only person to visit him was a man he didn't know, who said he was family, and that Severus would be coming to stay with him for a few days. The man was definitely a wizard if he could find St Mungo's, so he wasn't from his Daddy's family. They were all Muggles. And the man had a normal nose, not the Prince "beak," so he couldn't be part of Mummy's family. His last name wasn't Prince and it wasn't Snape, so how could he be family?

The man told him to call him Harry, but Mummy said Severus wasn't supposed to call adults by their first names, so he wasn't sure what to do. When he asked Harry where Mummy was, Harry looked very sad, saying Mummy wasn't going to able to take care of him.

Everything was strange, and Severus didn't like it. 

*~*~*~  
They had only been home from St Mungo's for a few hours and Harry had misplaced Severus once again. The small child made it known that he was not happy with the present situation and wanted his mummy. Harry finally located Severus curled up in the front foyer stair landing, his knees drawn up and his cheek resting on the polka-dotted dragon.

"Are you and Dottie hungry? It's time for lunch."

"S'not his name." A scowling Severus hugged the plushie to his thin chest. "'He's a boy dragon."

"Of course he is," Harry agreed, pleasantly. "And Dottie would be a pretty daft name for a boy, wouldn't it? So what is his name?"

"Spot," Severus replied as he ducked around Harry, keeping just out of reach.

*~*~*~  
Harry watched the little boy carefully cross the highly polished oak floor, and mentally shook his head at the reserved behavior. He had always assumed that the potions master had grown into the introverted wizard he was due to hard life choices, not that he, apparently, had come out of his mother's womb that way. 

There was something troubling about the too quiet, too polite little wizard. At that age, his godson Teddy would have long since kicked off the little slippers and used his socks as skates to slide across the wooden floor, crashing into tables and walls, laughing and shrieking in delight. But Severus wasn't Teddy.

Severus rarely spoke, never really smiled, always kept himself at arm's length, and the dark, nearly black eyes viewed everything with suspicion. Unfortunately, Harry knew all too well what that behavior meant as he had acquired many of the same mannerisms himself while growing up in Surrey under the 'loving' care of Vernon and Petunia Dursley.

The only outward sign that Severus wasn't actually a miniaturized old man was the plush dragon he lovingly carried, and occasionally spoke to, when he thought he was alone. 

*~*~*~  
While Severus tip-toed out of the kitchen, Harry cleared the remains of their lunch. Severus had eaten most of a toasted cheese sandwich and a few spoonfuls of tomato soup. Harry dutifully finished off the rest of the soup, never to waste food ingrained in his psyche. 

Harry idly wondered if he should try to put the little boy down for a nap. Did nearly four-year-olds still take naps?

Harry heard a loud crash from the library. Quickly drying his hands on a towel, he hurried down the hall in time to see Severus standing precariously on a pile of books stacked on the seat of one of the library chairs. He had dragged the chair to the front of the library fireplace and was removing a fistful of Floo powder from a container on the fireplace mantel; the lid lay shattered on the floor.

Severus jumped down from the chair and fixed Harry with an adorably defiant glare. The ever-present Spot was tucked into the waistband of his trousers for safekeeping.

"What are you doing, Severus?" 

"Thank you for Spot an' thank you for lunch, but it's time for me to go home to Mummy now." The little boy's tone was politely overformal. It would have been amusing if it wasn't so heart wrenching.

"You are home, Severus," Harry replied gently.

"No, I want Mummy."

"I already told you. Your mother isn't able to take care of you right now." Harry did not raise his voice to the upset boy.

"You lie! I want to go home! Now!"

"Severus, please calm down." 

Harry sighed as he tried to think of how to handle the situation. He slowly approached the agitated child. Little Severus was not living in the present, he was still living in 1963 where the row house in Cokeworth and his mother was his entire world. It stood to reason that Severus would want to return to the familiar world of Spinner's End.

"No! Stay 'way from me!" Severus screamed. "I'm tellin' the first person I see you took me from Mummy an' won't let me go home."

Wonderful, Harry thought. If the first person Severus found was a Muggle, Harry could easily find himself arrested for kidnapping. There was no way a Muggle policeman would believe it if Harry told him Severus was actually an adult and had been accidently deaged in a potions explosion. So even if they didn't arrest him as a suspected pedophile, he'd certainly be locked up in a mental health facility for evaluation.

Severus gave a fierce smile and tossed the Floo powder into the flames, shouting "Spinner's End!" 

Harry bolted across the room, catching the little boy around his waist just as the flames turned green. He stumbled over the chair leg and the momentum sent them both headlong into the flames, activating the Floo connection. He tightened his hold on the struggling child, trying his best to not be separated. As they hurtled past hearth openings, Harry tried to remember if the adult Severus had disconnected his old family row house from the Floo network or not. If it had been disconnected, Merlin only knew where they would end up.

Their trajectory began to slow and Harry fought to keep his footing as they were flung out of the Floo network. Severus immediately began to flail in his arms - punching, biting and kicking. Harry dropped the boy, but then immediately grabbed the back of Severus' shirt to restrain him.

Severus opened his eyes, expecting to find himself in the parlor, expecting to find his mother, but all he saw was the charred shell of the row house. The house was burned back to the brick walls and the room was open to the sky above, the second floor was a lattice work of charcoal beams, and large portions of the main floor had collapsed into the cellar below. The first floor windows and doors were boarded up to prevent trespassers. There was a gaping hole not three steps from the tiled hearth that they would have fallen into had Harry not been able to stick his landing. 

Severus let out a whimper and all the fight left him. His vision began to blur with tears as he stared in disbelief at the destruction.

"Mummy," Severus whimpered. Harry picked up the small child and hugged him to his chest. 

"I am so sorry, Severus. This is not how I wanted you to find out." 

While the fire scene was fresh to the younger Severus, the actual inferno had occurred several years after the potions master abandoned his family row house. As it was no longer a wizard's dwelling, all the wards gradually fell, returning it to a Muggle state. For years, homeless squatters took refuge in the derelict block of row houses, until a fire set for warmth one cold January day grew rapidly out of control, destroying everything in its path. 

Harry wondered why the dangerous wreckage had not been torn down years ago. What remained was a treacherous eyesore. He would need to notify someone at the Ministry of Magic to shut down the Floo connection to Spinner's End to prevent a possible fatality to a future unwary traveler.

At the very least, he would need to secure access to Floo powder from curious little hands, just in case Severus took it upon himself to have a second unauthorized adventure in the Floo network.

"Did Daddy do this?" Severus asked softly. 

"What do you mean?"

"Did Daddy set fire to his bed again? With his fags?" 

Apparently the late Tobias Snape smoked in bed. 

"No, your father didn't cause this." 

"Mummy was brewing. The cauldron exploded, didn't it?" Severus wiped his runny nose on the sleeve of his shirt. He didn't want to get snot on Spot. "Mummy and Daddy can't come back, can they?

"No, Severus. I am so sorry, but they are gone."

He could feel the small boy shivering against his chest. It was freezing in that burnt out shell of a house and Severus was in shock. Harry Apparated them out of Spinner's End. 

*~*~*~  
Severus stepped into the bedroom Harry said was his. It was much larger than his old bedroom and seemed to belong to another child. There was a bed with a colorful quilt, and a bookcase with picture books and a few toys that he wanted to explore. There was a rocking chair big enough to curl up in, and a small desk and chair. He curled his toes into the thick carpeting on the floor. It was a wonderful room, and Severus wondered if the other child would be angry that he was invading their space. 

He ran his hand over the thick quilt, realizing he would be nice and warm for once. He tucked Spot against one of the fluffy bed pillows and crawled up into the high bed. The mattress did not sag. 

This was all too good to be true, he thought. Daddy always said fecking little freaks like him didn't deserve nice things. He rubbed Spot's velvety black wing between his fingers for comfort.

Severus lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling in wonderment. It had been painted to look like the night sky. Hundreds of tiny white stars twinkled against the deep blue background. Some of the stars seemed to be arranged in patterns, but Severus had never really seen a starlit sky before and didn't realize what he was seeing was a depiction of the eighty-eight named mythological constellations studied by astronomers.

"It's pretty impressive, isn't it?" Harry asked him from the doorway.

"Yes," Severus agreed. "Are those all the stars in the sky?"

"No. There are millions, if not billions, of stars in the sky, but these are the stars wizards study the most. These are the ones you can see with the naked eye." Harry glanced up at the painted sky and then back down to study the child. "Have you ever stood out at night and tried to identify the stars?"

"No." Severus thought for a moment. "It doesn't really get dark at night...at home."

"I forgot about that. I couldn't really see the stars clearly where I grew up either. The street lamps make everything much too bright." Harry selected a picture book from the bookcase and then sat in the rocking chair. He opened the book to a page depicting the winter constellations Orion the Hunter and his two hunting dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor. They would be the easiest constellations to find in the winter sky. 

"But we're not in the city, so it can get pretty dark here at night. I am going to make dinner now, but after we eat, we can go outside and watch the stars. Would you like that?"

"Yes...but I'm not hungry. I really miss Mummy an' my tummy hurts." 

"I know you do, and it will hurt for awhile, but you really do need to eat a little bit of something." Harry set the book on the bed beside Severus. "While I'm making dinner, why don't you look at the pictures in the book, and see if you can find the same pictures in the ceiling above." 

Severus wondered if he was a bad boy because he did not miss his father.

*~*~*~  
Bundled up in a thick winter robe and holding a steaming mug of hot chocolate, Severus stared up into the pitch black sky, amazed at all the stars he could see. There were so many more than the ones painted on the bedroom ceiling. He listened as Harry showed him the three stars that made up Orion's belt, the bright star Rigel that formed Orion's knee, and a pretty reddish orange star with the strange name of Betelgeuse, that was at Orion's shoulder.

Then Harry showed him the brightest star in the winter sky, Sirius, which made up the head of Canus Major - The Greater Dog and above it the second dog, Canus Minor - The Lesser Dog. He showed him other constellations, but it was too confusing to tell exactly where Harry was pointing after awhile. 

"Do you have a favorite star?" Severus asked, sipping his ever-hot hot chocolate.

Harry was quiet for several moments, before he pointed to Sirius, The Dog Star. 

"My godfather's name was Sirius and I was very sad when he died. Some nights I gaze at that star and remember him...Some people think that those we love become stars when they die and they stay in the sky to watch over us. I don't know if it's true or not, but I find it comforting to think it so. What do you think?"

Severus' dark eyes studied the cosmic expanse above him, finally focusing on the pretty reddish orange star. Mummy really liked the color orange. Maybe if he wished hard enough, he could pretend she was sitting on Betelgeuse looking down on him. Thinking she was now a star made his tummy hurt a little less. 

*~*~*~  
Warm and sleepy from his bath and dressed in soft flannel pajamas, Severus crawled beneath the covers of the bed. He looked up at the constellations on the painted ceiling and showed Spot the constellation of Orion, pointing out the special star. He wrinkled his nose. Why was Betelgeuse painted white? 

His attention was drawn to a moving photograph on the wall beside the bed. There were three people in it. He recognized Harry immediately. There was also a little boy with turquoise hair and an older man with straight black hair and a large, crooked nose. Severus touched his own nose unconsciously. The man had a Prince nose, too.

"Are you ready for bed?" Harry asked. He noticed little Severus looking at a photograph of the older Severus, and wondered what might be going on in the little boy's mind.

"Is that your little boy? Is this his room?"

"That's my godson Teddy, although he wants to be known as Edward now that he's a teenager. He stays in this room when he visits me."

"Is he mad I'm in his room?" Severus looked at the moving photograph again and saw that Teddy's hair had changed to a magenta and then back to turquoise. "What's goin' on with his hair?"

"Do you know what a metamorphmagus is?" Severus shook his head. "A metamorphmagus is a witch or wizard that can change their appearance without the use of a wand or a potion. It's a rare ability. Teddy's hair would change colors depending on whether he was happy or sad." 

"Where is he? Is he comin' home? Will he want his room back?"

Harry blinked at all the questions. Severus had gone from nearly non-verbal to chatterbox in the time it took him to have a bath.

"Teddy doesn't live in England right now. He and his grandmother moved to the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts in America a few years ago so he could attend the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I won't see him again until he comes to stay with me for a few weeks in the summer."

"Not Hogwarts?"

"No. There was no one at Hogwarts who could teach him to control his ability to morph, but there were two professors at Ilvermorny who could." Harry was not going to discuss the prejudice Teddy faced as the son of a known werewolf by closed-minded British wizards, even though he had never shown any signs of inheriting any of his father's curse. "So you know about Hogwarts?"

"Yes, Mummy...Mummy said I would be goin' there when I turn eleven." Severus' voice caught, but he soldiered on. He looked at the photograph again. "So who's that man?"

"He is my partner. And do you know what? His name is Severus, too."

"We have the same name? Where is he? Will I meet him?"

"No. He had to go away for awhile." Harry's voice was soft.

"You sound sad. You're all alone, just like me."

"I suppose I am."

"Do you think we can be alone together?" Severus nibbled on his lower lip.

"I'd like that very much."

Harry tucked the quilt up around Severus' shoulders, and read a bedtime story to him. He read _Meet Dottie the Dragon_ , changing the name of Dottie to Spot and referring to the girl dragon as a boy. After making sure Severus did not require a trip to the loo, he reminded the little boy that his bedroom was just across the hall if he needed anything in the night.

Harry gave him a little kiss to the top of his head and bade him sweet dreams. He turned off the lamp and left the bedroom door ajar, letting in a thin band of light.

There was a soft glow high above the bed and Severus realized that all of the stars were shimmering against the midnight sky. It was beautiful, he thought, as his eyes sought out his special star. Quietly, he told his mummy all about his day, how happy he was she was still watching over him, how much he missed her, and how much he loved her.

And just before he drifted off to sleep, he wished the painted Betelgeuse was no longer white. He wished it was reddish orange, but the painted star did not change. 

*~*~*  
Harry sat in one of the library chairs, unread mail in his lap. He took a sip of whiskey, gazing at the flames in the fireplace. He felt drained. He had forgotten how exhausting a small child could be, and this was just the first day.

Little Severus was finally asleep, but Harry really missed the adult version of Severus. How long would it take to find an antidote to the potion? Could they even find an antidote to the potion? What was he going to do if the deaging could not be reversed? How could they possibly remain partners if Severus had to grow up to his majority one day at a time? In fifteen years, Severus would think of Harry as his father or uncle, not as a lover.

Harry took another sip of the whiskey.

The fire in the fireplace flared green, indicating a Floo call was coming in. Harry leaned toward the flames to see whose face would appear.

"Harry? Are you there?" Andromeda's voice floated through the quiet library. Harry could see her face in the flames.

"Good evening, Andromeda. How are you?" Harry rose from the chair and settled on the hearthrug. It was easier to hold a conversation when not leaning over at chair height.

"Is this a good time? I know I said we'd call tomorrow, but our plans for the Solstice changed and we didn't want to miss wishing you a Happy Yule."

"Tomorrow?" Harry said, confusion evident in his tone. "Is the Solstice really tomorrow?"

"Yes, the Winter Solstice is tomorrow. Don't tell me you forgot," Andromeda laughed. "So where's Severus? Can you get him on the call, too?"

Harry explained to a horrified Andromeda and an amused Teddy all about the potions accident turning Severus into a three year old. He told them about the terrifying trip through the Floo network and Severus' discovery that his mother and father were dead. And he told them about stargazing. 

He did not tell them about Spot.

"So that means you'll be putting up a Christmas tree and buying presents then."

"Why would I be doing that? Severus and I don't usually celebrate Muggle holidays. We barely celebrate the traditional Wizarding ones."

"You and your Severus don't celebrate Muggle holidays, Harry," Andromeda said, gently. "But little Severus is a three-year-old half-blood raised in Cokeworth. Are you so sure he doesn't still believe in Father Christmas?" 

"Oh, shite..."

"Oh, shite, indeed," Andromeda chuckled. "I'm sending Evie to you. She'll straighten out your little holiday disaster."

"Thank you, but..."

"Evie's all alone in our old cottage in England and there's only so many times she can clean an empty house. I should have thought to send her to you and Severus when Teddy and I first moved to the Berkshires and Evie couldn't adjust to the magic in America. I'm expecting to see plenty of photographs of your holidays..."

"P-photographs?" Harry stuttered. He could hear Teddy howling in the background, talking about potential blackmail material, as his grandmother tried to hush him.

Andromeda switched places with her grandson so Harry and Teddy could speak to one another about Quadpot vs. Quidditch and the classes at Ilvermorny. After wishing one another a Happy Yule, Harry ended the fire call.

Harry rose off the floor and returned to his chair and his whiskey. How could he have lost track of the days? At least he already had a Yule log selected. He would just need to retrieve the shard from last year's log from storage.

He yawned. He was too tired to plan anything beyond eventually setting the log on fire. Banking the flame in the library fireplace for the night, Harry turned out the lights and went to bed. 

*~*~*~  
Evie popped into the middle of Harry's kitchen. The long case clock in the hallway chimed on the hour, announcing that it was now two o'clock in the morning. The elderly house-elf catalogued the perishables on hand and the available pantry stock to determine if she had what she needed to prepare a proper holiday meal.

Mistress Andromeda had been correct. Master Harry was woefully unprepared for a Winter Solstice celebration. Evie walked through the main floor rooms. With the exception of the actual log and a few greeting cards from friends, there were no holiday decorations. The entire Yule season was important in traditional Wizarding households, so that simply would not do.

Evie giggled, excited at all the work that needed to be completed by dawn.

But first, the little house-elf decided, she needed to locate Master Severus and see for herself what he had managed to do to himself. She pulled Mistress Andromeda's camera from a fold in her tea towel and crept up the stairs.

*~*~*~  
Harry awoke early, his mind going over what he needed to do to provide a solstice celebration for little Severus as he showered and shaved. He didn't need to worry about meals, because he always kept the larder fully stocked, and he was fairly certain he had what he needed on hand to make a holiday punch and some sort of sweet.

He peeked into Severus' bedroom. The little boy was still asleep, curled up in a ball beneath the quilt, Spot clutched beneath his arm. Harry looked at that still innocent little face and felt a pang of sadness. 

While little Severus was adorable most of the time, he really missed the older snarky version. He and the potions master were fairly matched in their ambivalence about the current holiday season.

Harry rested his hand on the handrail as he made his way down the poorly lit staircase. His hand jerked up as he felt something sharp graze his fingers.

"Lumos," he said, holding his wand loosely in his other hand. In the glow of his wand-tip he could see garlands of evergreens, ribbons, and juniper berries woven down the staircase handrail ending in a bow at the bottom newel post. He blinked. That was unexpected.

Harry followed the fragrant garlands, which outlined the doors and windows in the parlor and the library. He could see the shadow of a wreath through the leaded glass panel in the front door. Sprays of evergreen, juniper, holly and ivy decorated the fireplace mantels. A cheery fire blazed in the library fireplace, but the fireplace in the parlor was empty. It had been swept clean, awaiting the Yule Log, which was sitting on the hearth. A basket of ribbon and greenery sat beside the log, ready to dress the log in traditional holiday finery.

Evie had certainly been busy, working her little elf fingers to the bone. Harry couldn't believe how much she had accomplished in the short time he had been asleep. It wasn't much past half-six.

*~*~*~  
Harry walked into the kitchen, following the tantalizing scents of cinnamon, apples, and ham. Evie was standing on a stool, kneading dough for fruited bread, and there were several trays of sugar biscuits cut into the shapes of suns, crescent moons, and stars cooling on the table behind her. On the burners were a sauce pan filled with gently simmering scalloped apples and a frying pan containing ham slices .

Harry blinked, shocked at all the activity. He looked around to see if there was a second, or even a third, house-elf hiding anywhere. But there was only Evie.

"Good morning, Evie."

"Good morning, Master Harry." Evie replied. She turned the bread dough into a waiting oiled bowl to rise a second time. "Is Master Harry ready for Evie to be making his breakfast?"

"In a bit. I'll need to check on Severus first...see if he's awake."

"Master Severus is being a very cute baby."

"You've been up to see him?"

"Oh, yes. Evie checked on the baby master when she got here. Had to make sure baby master was tucked in warm and dry."

It was all Harry could do not to laugh at Evie's serious expression. Merlin help them if his Severus knew Evie had checked his drawers in the night to make sure he had not soiled himself.

"When did you get here, Evie?" Harry asked, as he poured himself a mug of tea from a waiting teapot.

"The bells in the hall rang two."

"So you've been here approximately four and a half hours...Collecting the greenery and making the garlands alone should have taken most of the day. I know you're fabulous, but how in Merlin's name did you get all this done?"

Evie fidgeted. Her bat-like ears trembled.

"Evie?"

"Evie borrowed the garland, Master Harry."

"Borrowed?" Of all the answers she could give, that was the last thing he expected her to say. "Borrowed from where?"

"Tonksie Cottage. Evie made the garlands and decorated just in case Mistress Andromeda changed her mind and came back home."

Oh, poor Evie, Harry thought. All the work the house-elf must have done to decorate a vacant house. What else was she doing to occupy her time while she waited in vain for her family to return? He was suddenly afraid for the faithful elderly elf, all alone in Andromeda's house because she could not adapt to the alien magic of North America. Harry thought back to the twisted mental state of Kreacher, trapped in the horrific Black townhouse with only a crazed portrait for companionship, and shuddered. 

As much as he and Severus did not actually need a house-elf, Harry would certainly be asking Andromeda if they could "borrow" Evie's services while she and Teddy lived abroad.

"Evie is a bad house-elf," she said, sadly.

"No, you're not. You're very clever." Harry was quick to reassure her. "I am glad the garlands were there for us to have access to. Severus will be so surprised when he wakes up and sees them."

As if a three-year-old would have any opinion about garlands, Harry thought. But Evie was happy again, and that was really all that mattered. Harry took another sip of tea.

*~*~*~  
Severus kept glancing at Evie as he ate his breakfast of French toast with warm cinnamon apples and pieces of cut up ham. Harry explained to him that the strange creature was a house-elf, that she had made their breakfast, and that she would be staying with them for awhile. 

Severus remembered Mummy telling Daddy she wasn't his effin' house-elf during one of their many fights, but thought it was something she made up. He never imagined that a house-elf was real. Evie looked rather odd with her greenish-grey tinged skin, bat-like ears, large blue eyes, and squeaky voice, but she wasn't much taller than he was, and she seemed nice. 

*~*~*~  
Severus sniffed at one of the garlands, distinguishing the different scents of the pine and juniper. It smelled like the park down by the river that Mummy collected potion ingredients from occasionally. He didn't understand why they had suddenly appeared. Was this something rich people did for Father Christmas?

"Do you know what day today is?" Harry asked, leading Severus into the parlor. 

"Father Christmas?" Severus asked, hopefully, rubbing his arms to keep warm. For some reason, there was no fire burning in the fireplace, and the room was cold.

"No. Christmas is four days away. Today is the Winter Solstice. Do you know what that is?"

Severus shook his head.

"The Winter Solstice celebrates the shortest day of the year and the longest night. It also marks the start of astrological winter. It is a very important holiday for wizards."

After casting a warming charm, Harry explained to Severus all about the solstice and the different traditions surrounding it. With Severus' assistance, they wrapped the Yule log with ribbons and tucked pine needles as well as sprigs of ivy and holly beneath the ribbon. Small branches of dried berries and pinecones were anchored by the ribbon as well.

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

Severus looked around, but didn't see anyone with a camera. He saw Harry smile, shake his head, and then levitate the decorated log onto the andirons in the parlor fireplace.

"We will set the log ablaze at dusk tonight, but first, there is something very important you need to do. On a piece of paper, you need to write down a special wish for the coming year. You don't have to tell me what your wish is. It can stay your secret. Just before we burn the log, we will tuck in our wishes beneath the ribbons and hope that they some true."

"I can't write words yet."

"You don't have to use words. You can draw pictures. I know there are art supplies in the drawer of the desk in your room. Think about what you want to wish for, and if you need any help, just let me know." 

*~*~*~  
"Master Harry?"

"Yes, Evie?"

"Will there be any guests tonight?"

"No. It will just be the three of us. Severus and I were never much for the bonfires and the drunken caroling. We usually spent the solstice in quiet reflection. And Little Severus is too young to understand any tradition past me setting a log on fire and him eating your sun- and star-shaped sugar biscuits with orange icing." 

"Do you want lamb or pork for dinner? We have both."

"I had planned to make the pork roast with rosemary and garlic tonight and serve the rack of lamb for Christmas. But don't make too many sides, just a potato and a veg will be fine. At this point, Severus doesn't have a sophisticated enough palate for much else. " 

"Yes, Master Harry." Evie mentally simplified her dinner plans. "Should Evie make a pitcher of wassail?"

"No. A basic winter punch will be fine. There should be plenty of apple juice and orange juice in the larder to make it. Severus is too young for wassail or mead, but he should like the fruitiness of the punch. If I decide on anything alcoholic once he falls asleep, I can have whiskey or wine." 

*~*~*~  
Severus sat at his desk, a crayon resting in his thin fingers. He needed to draw a very special wish, but what did he wish for? He could not wish for Mummy, because even at three, he knew dead was dead and the dead didn't come back, no matter how hard you wished it. 

He looked up at the painted constellations, and while he really wanted Betelgeuse to be orange, it wasn't something to waste a special wish for. He set down his crayon and decided to check out the picture books instead. Maybe if he didn't think so hard on it, the very special wish would come to him.

Severus sang the alphabet letters song, "a-b-c-d-e-f-g, h-i-j-k-l-m-n-o-p, q-r-s, t-u-v, w-x, y and z." He knew what each letter looked like and sounded like, but he could only spell out a few words. Without anyone to read to him, all he could do was look at the pictures in the Wizarding and Muggle picture books. He looked at non-moving pictures of cats wearing hats, of a black dragon and a little boy, and of a caterpillar that ate everything. He saw moving pictures of a Quidditch game, of different breeds of owls, and of a wizard's adventures on a flying carpet. 

He recognized the cover of _The Tales of Beadle the Bard_ , but the book had too many words and not enough pictures, so he put it aside. He set aside four other books for the same reason. When he picked up an oversized book, folded bits of paper fell to the carpet in the shapes of animals.

 _O-r-g-a-m-i_ , the book spelled out, but little Severus did not know what that word meant, or how to pronounce it. He sat in front of the bookcase with the book in his lap and leafed through the pages. This book showed how to fold paper to create different shapes. He picked up a flattened bird, and looked for the pages that told how to make it. 

And then he saw it - a pattern for a folded 5-point star.

*~*~*~  
Harry stood at the bedroom door, checking on what was keeping Severus so quiet. The small boy was asleep, curled up in the rocking chair with Spot and several crumpled pieces of paper. Harry carefully picked him up and tucked him into bed. Since they would be up late that evening, a little nap should make Severus less cranky.

He looked around the room, trying to see what had kept the child's attention. If he was going to need to create a Muggle Christmas for Severus, he would need to put appropriate gifts under the tree. 

Severus had colored a picture with the crayons. Harry looked at the completed drawing and wondered if this was the little boy's wish. There was an orange star, a stick figure wearing blue trousers and a striped shirt, something that looked like a lollipop on its side with four lines for legs, a wonky house, and a lopsided circle with stars and suns inside it.

There was a large book open on the floor with many pieces of folded paper around it. Harry recognized it as a beginning origami book that had fascinated Teddy for awhile when he was much younger. Based on the distressed papers, Severus seemed to be trying to fold a 5-point star.

While Severus slept, Harry studied the directions and realized immediately why the child was unable to get the star to work. Severus was trying to fold a rectangular sheet of paper, but the directions were to start with a piece of paper cut into the shape of a pentagon. He smoothed out one over-folded sheet and figured out how to create a five-sided template. 

*~*~*~  
Armed with a short ruler and a pencil, Severus carefully traced the edge of the pentagon template onto a page from a back issue of _The Quibbler_. Using safety scissors, he slowly cut along the pencil line. Carefully he began to fold the pentagon from point to point and then in a series of predetermined folds. Meticulously, he made the folds sharp with the edge of his thumbnail until eventually, with a pull and a tuck or two, the star began to form.

"I think you have the hang of it, Severus," Harry said as he picked up one of three completed stars. "It will work better if you use a paper stiffer than the newsprint, though. We can pick up some colored paper in the village tomorrow, if you like."

Severus looked up from his folding. Colors would be nice, he thought, but he liked how the words looked at different angles, too. Maybe he could find a pretty orange and make his own Betelgeuse.

"It's almost time for us to light the Yule Log, and then it will be time for dinner. You'll need to wash your hands to get the newsprint off of them first."

"Okay."

"Did you get a chance to write your wish?"

"Yes," Severus replied as he hurried to the loo to scrub the ink from his fingers. He pointed to the crayon drawing Harry had noticed earlier. 

*~*~*~  
Severus followed Harry's directions, and folded his special wish into the shape of a bird before tucking it under a ribbon on the log. This log business all seemed pretty strange to the little half-blood. Harry handed him his written wish and coached him into folding that into a bird shape as well. 

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

There was no tradition stating the paper wishes should be anything but folded and burnt in the fire, but since Severus was currently fascinated with origami, and the birds were easy to create, Harry didn't see the harm in making them into birds. The fire would burn them up either way.

Harry sprinkled cider onto the log, letting it soak into the decorations. Using a sliver of wood from the previous year's log, Harry set the Yule Log on fire. 

_"The longest night has come once more, the sun has set, and darkness fallen._  
_The trees are bare, the earth asleep, and the skies are cold and black._  
_Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night, embracing the darkness that enfolds us._  
_We welcome the night and all that it holds, as the light of the stars shines down."_ *

As Harry spoke a yuletide prayer, the decorations on the log slowly began to burn.

"Do we have to stay here all night?" Severus asked as he watched his paper wish burn.

"We can leave for short periods of time, but we have to make sure the fire does not go out. It is considered bad luck if the log does not burn for twelve hours or longer. Is there something you wanted to do?"

"Can we see the Hunter and his dogs in the sky again?" Severus asked. 

"After we eat, we can go stargazing if it's not too cloudy." Harry replied. Severus' interest in astronomy was a bit of a surprise, because the adult version did not share the same interest. He would need to see if he could locate a telescope to place under the tree. "So, how do you find Orion in the night sky?"

"You look for three stars in a row..."

*~*~*~  
As dawn broke, Harry added another log to the fire. The actual Yule log was still burning brightly hours after he first set it ablaze. There appeared to be no threat that it would burn out anytime soon. He and Evie had taken turns through the night to keep the fire fed.

He looked over to a small cot he had transfigured from a side chair, making certain little Severus was still asleep. When he discovered Harry intended to remain in the parlor through the night to tend the log, the little boy announced he was old enough to tend it as well. Because it seemed so important to the child, Harry did not argue, knowing full well that Severus would be asleep long before midnight. 

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

Evie appeared with a mug of tea and several warm slices of the fruit bread to tide him over. She would make a real breakfast when the boy awoke. 

*~*~*~  
Harry held tightly to Severus' hand as they walked down the sidewalk in the small Muggle village. The streetlights in the shopping district were decorated with matching wreaths and garlands of artificial pine boughs all strung with fairy lights. With only a few shopping days before Christmas, the shops would soon be packed. He had timed their trip so that they arrived just as the shops opened for the day, so hopefully they would be finished with their errands before madness hit.

The pair stopped in front Wiseacre's Hobby Shop. Severus was fascinated by the electronic miniature trains running on tracks winding through a forest of brightly lit artificial trees in a festive window display. Harry wondered what Severus thought, witnessing technology not available in 1963 Cokeworth.

Jingle bells rang as they entered the shop. It was a colorful maze of crafting supplies and kits. Models of airplanes and spaceships hung from the ceiling. A portly man with a full white beard greeted them. Severus' eyes grew wide.

"Is he Father Christmas?" Severus asked in a too loud whisper. 

"Happy Christmas, young sir," Mr. Wiseacre chuckled. Small children were always asking him that because of his beard, especially at Christmastime. "Can I help you find anything?"

Severus inched away as Harry spoke with Mr. Wiseacre about origami papers. He had never seen so many interesting things before. There were model kits for trains, cars, boats, and planes. There were robots and space ships. There was yarn, and felt, and bolts of fabric. He stopped in front of a house as tall as he was and looked at all the rooms filled with tiny furniture. Everywhere he looked was something different.

Was this Father Christmas' workshop?

Harry kept half an eye on Severus as he sorted through racks of decorative papers. He wondered if there were kits suitable for a three-year-old to build in this conglomeration of intricate, expensive models. 

"Don't worry so much about the little bug. After all the years I've been in business, I'm fairly kid-proof," the storekeeper said, and went on to mention a few kits he had in stock appropriate for small children.

The sound of giggles erupted from the corner of the shop. Harry turned in amazement. In all the time Severus had been staying with him, the little boy had only given the barest of smiles. He had never once laughed.

"It appears your little one has found my little ones," Mr. Wiseacre said as he led Harry to a fenced-off corner in his shop. Severus was behind the barricade, covered in furry little balls of kitten fluff. His dark eyes were laughing, and that too-serious face was filled with joy.

Harry thought suddenly of the lollipop with four legs in the wish drawing. Had little Severus wished for a pet?

Mr. Wiseacre was telling Severus all about finding Ms. Marple abandoned in a box in his alley with six newborn kittens. He had named them Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How until their new owners could give them their forever names.

"And you're holding What. He's the only boy." Although the man said What, it sounded like Wot with his heavy accent.

"Why doesn't Wot have a bow?" Severus asked as he cuddled with a small black and white kitten. Harry noticed all the other kittens had bows around their necks that they kept batting at. He had just assumed that the little one in Severus' lap had managed to free itself from the unwanted hindrance. 

"The ones with the bows will be Christmas presents. Their new owners will be picking them up before I close Christmas Eve."

"Nobody wants Wot? Is it cuz he's a boy?" Severus asked, knowing too well what it was like not to be wanted.

"Oh, no. He's just waiting for someone special to give him a forever...home." Mr. Wiseacre cast Harry an apologetic look. Severus turned his dark eyes to Harry. Of all the things to expect out of Severus Snape, puppy dog eyes were not it.

Shite. Shite. Shite.

Harry knelt beside the fenced off area and reached for Wot, examining the tiny male kitten. Spot and Wot popped into his head, and he fought back a laugh. Really, there were worse things than a kitten, he thought, and if the adult Severus didn't want to keep him, Harry was certain he could easily find Wot another home. 

*~*~*~  
When they arrived back home, there was an undecorated Christmas tree waiting for them in the bay window of the parlor, and an unapologetic Evie. Mistress Andromeda always put up a Christmas tree, so Master Harry would have one as well.

Evie took the addition of a kitten in stride. Snatching up the order Harry had just finished writing to send off with Nigel when the barn owl awoke, she popped off to the Magical Menagerie in Diagon Alley to pick up the needed supplies.

"Well, it looks as if we have a tree to decorate, Severus. Do you think you'll have time to make up a few shiny stars?" 

*~*~*~  
Using a ruler and a pencil, Severus carefully traced the edge of the pentagon template onto one of the sheets of stiff paper, decorated with swirls of metallic ink. If he was careful, he could cut out two pentagons from each sheet. The packet of papers Harry purchased from the hobby shop had fifteen sheets in various jewel tone colors, and five each of black and white, all decorated with a metallic pattern of either silver or gold. There was even one reddish orange sheet Severus could use to make his very own Betelgeuse.

He looked over to a small basket in his room, containing the sleeping Wot. Baby kitties sure slept a lot. But it was a good thing the kitten was asleep, because when Wot was awake, it was impossible to make the stars. He told Spot he wouldn't stop playing with him just because he had a new friend. 

He looked up at the painted ceiling, telling Mummy all about Wot, Spot, the stars, meeting Father Christmas, and the tree. Once again, he wished Betelgeuse was orange, but the star stayed stubbornly white.

With his arms full of stars, and Wot trailing behind him, Severus went into the parlor. Harry had added fairy lights and plain glass balls to the tree. Evie brought in a platter of decorated gingerbread boys and girls to hang from the branches. It seemed like a waste of biscuits to the child.

She assured Severus that there was more gingerbread in the kitchen for after meals and Harry cautioned him not to let Wot eat human food. 

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

Harry tucked in the sparkling stars into the branches, making sure the fairy lights illuminated them. At Severus' request, he placed the reddish orange star at the top. It seemed to be an odd color choice for Christmas, but Severus was pleased when the star was enlarged with an _Engorgio_ before being placed at the very top.

And once the tree was finally decorated, Harry cast a ward around it. They did not need kittens and little boys toppling it, or eating the 'ornaments'.

The next few days were spent with Severus, Spot and Wot gamboling through the house and Harry was pleased Severus was finally acting like a three-year-old. He had even caught him sliding on the polished wooden floor in his socks. 

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

Harry caught up on paperwork dealing with his estates and various businesses, and read up on the latest issues to be brought before the Wizengamot after the first of the year. He checked on the status of repairs to Severus' private laboratory, and reassured the brewers and apprentices that he would keep them apprised of when they could return to work. He also reassured them that they would receive their usual wages during the unexpected closure.

He exchanged several holiday Floo calls with former school friends, and made arrangements to visit with several of them after the situation with Severus had been resolved. He spoke with Andromeda and Teddy, giving them an update on Severus, and reassured Andromeda that yes, Evie was taking plenty of photographs.

On Christmas Eve, he received a Floo call from Potions Mistress Peregrine, still in her 1963 body. She had been working closely with the St Mungo's potions masters to find an antidote and told Harry that they felt that they were close to finding a solution. The experimental potion still had to be tested before it would be used on humans. She said she would give him an update on Boxing Day. 

*~*~*~  
Nigel balanced on his perch, turning his head, and watched the Not-Food bat shiny things between its paws. He flexed his talons, wondering if the shiny things were good to eat. 

*~*~*~  
Nigel took a deep drink of water and crunched on owl kibble. Shiny things were not good to eat. He would leave them all to the Not-Food.

*~*~*~  
Christmas Day was a quiet affair.

Because Severus had no real understanding of how a Muggle child would act, there was no mad dash to the tree before dawn. He awoke at his usual time and brought Spot and Wot down to the kitchen for breakfast. He looked in at the tree in the parlor, stopping when he saw a few gaily wrapped packages beneath the branches, but continued on to have his meal.

Father Christmas had given him Wot, so he really wasn't expecting to receive anything else. 

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

 

After eating his scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, Severus joined Harry and Evie in the parlor. The little wooden car kit, chocolate frogs, and a Little Potions Master's kit that made jelly worms were unexpected, but well received. Harry had also brought down his old school telescope.

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

Evie was ecstatic to receive an assortment of brightly patterned tea towels that Severus had selected during their Muggle shopping trip.

And Harry sat back, watching the day unfold, wondering if Potions Mistress Peregrine's call on Boxing Day would bring good news or bad. While he was happy that little Severus was enjoying his holiday, part of him wished he was spending it with his Severus, resolutely ignoring the festivities altogether.

When Severus went to bed that night, he told Mummy all about his gifts and how much he wished she had been there to share the day with him. He fell asleep with Spot firmly tucked into his arms, and Wot curled up on his chest. 

*~*~*~  
There was a sharp rap on the front door early in the afternoon on Boxing Day. Not too many people visited the house, especially uninvited, so he assumed it was probably a Muggle trying to sell something, or looking for directions. People often got turned around on the country roads.

Potions Mistress Peregrine stood on his doorstep, no longer the youthful woman she had been days before. Harry immediately invited her in out of the cold. The elderly witch let out a laugh as Severus careened down the hallway with Wot hot at his heels. 

"Goodness," she exclaimed. "Isn't he an unexpected delight."

Harry took her outer robe and hung it from a hook in the foyer, escorting her into the parlor. He asked Evie to bring tea.

"So, the antidote obviously worked? Did you experience any side effects?"

"There was a certain degree of disorientation when I first took it, but it's been forty-eight hours and there have been no ill effects."

"Forty-eight hours...but..."

"I took the antidote shortly after I Floo called you on Christmas Eve."

"Why didn't you tell me it was finished then?"

"Finished, but untested. If something had gone wrong in the testing, and it proved to be fatal, I was an old woman, and I had lived my life, even if I didn't remember it at the time. There was no way I was willing to risk testing an unknown cure on a small child." Mistress Peregrine took a sip of her tea. "And seeing how adorable my dear Severus is right now, I am not sorry I made that decision."

*~*~*~  
Dressed in a hospital nightshirt, Severus clung to Harry as they waited for the healers to arrive. He didn't understand what was going on. He didn't feel sick, so he didn't know why he was in St Mungo's. He wanted Spot and he wanted Wot, but Harry said he couldn't bring them with him. 

*~*~*~  
Disoriented, with memories of both the present and of being very small, Severus sipped a mug of tea and nibbled on a sugar biscuit with orange icing. He contemplated the Christmas tree with the folded origami stars for decoration, and felt a happy memory just at the edge of consciousness. 

_Click. Whirr. Click. Whirr._

Severus blinked. He really didn't understand why Andromeda's house-elf was taking photographs of him. Harry just said he would explain everything later. 

Feeling a headache coming on, he excused himself to lie down for a few minutes. Normally, he would have just taken a headache draught, but he had been cautioned by the healers in St Mungo's to not ingest any unnecessary potions for the next few days.

As he walked down the hallway, he stopped at the door leading to the bedroom Teddy usually used. He shook his head as a memory flitted by. The potions master stepped into the bedroom, immediately spying a tiny black and white kitten on the bed, curled up around a green and black polka-dot dragon plushie. 

Spot and Wot.

He smirked.

Gently, Severus scooped up the sleeping kitten into his hands, and felt his soft fur. He lay back on the bed and stared up at the painted midnight sky and all of the constellations. Memories of searching the night sky with Harry looking for the dog stars Canus Major and Canus Minor, and Orion the Hunter flooded through him. 

Then he remembered his fascination with Betelgeuse, of thinking Mummy lived on that star.

And just before he drifted off to sleep, he flicked his wand up at the painted stars, and turned Betelgeuse reddish orange.

**Author's Note:**

> *A Yule Sunset Prayer from ThoughtCo.com
> 
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